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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Torchwood: Children of Earth *SPOILERS*

I recently finished season 5 of Doctor Who, I really adore Matt Smith as that character, he really brings a lot of heart to the Doctor. I got sucked into watching it again by a friend who loves Doctor Who more then almost anything, and the truth is I seriously love the show too, but I dislike spending too much time with those characters because they break my heart.

At first it was the end of the 9th Doctor. I wasn't familiar enough with Doctor Who, I had no idea that was going to happen, I was slightly upset by it, you can imagine. And then it was Donna. I adored Donna, I think I grew too attached, when I watched what happened to her I railed against it, anyone would have preferred death to what she got.

And then of course there was Ianto. I think I got more attached to Ianto then I have ever gotten to any fictional character ever. He had some amazingly positive characteristics, and maybe even more important, some wonderful flaws. Maybe he was just my type, handsome, loyal, not mysterious. I've never become all that attached to mysterious people, they're usually secretive for a reason and it's never something I find romantic or inviting. What can I say, I like them boring and kind.

Now that I've set the scene, lets talk about "Children of Earth". If you have seen it you've probably just shuddered at the words, it's brilliant and horrible, you want to stop watching from the first, but you can't because it's important that you continue. The story is important because what happens in the story is very similar to what will happen is real life one day, probably not with evil aliens, probably not even on a global scale, but something similar will happen one day and you'll have to make the choice like the people in 'Children of Earth". Will you give in, or will you fight?

Seems simple enough, but the dilemma in "Children of Earth" is that both side are in the right. Giving up the children because it would save so many others. How could that be wrong? Likewise how could it be right when you still have the strength to fight? You'll die, and it's clique, but you'll die doing the right thing.

I am in the latter school of thought myself, although I can see the merits of the first argument, I want to be the best person I can be and I can't see myself doing that with the knowledge that I had a hand in ruining so many lives.

If you've come this far you've probably watched "Children of Earth" already, too many spoilers not to. Ianto dies, not alone at least, but Jack never deserved Ianto, maybe he knew that already. I think most people think it was Ianto that should have been the most grateful for the relationship, having an amazing, slightly immortal, mysterious, time traveling mans attention on him for any period of time was surely flattering. But really it's the other way around, Jack has nearly forever, literally almost all the time in the world, he should be flattered that Ianto with his limited time deemed some of it important to spend on a man he knows to be flighty at best.

It's taken me over a year and a half to talk about this in anyway that's somewhat coherent and not just me screwing my eyes shut, covering my ears, and shouting "NO NO NO!" at the top of my lungs. If you have watched it I'm probably preaching to the choir, if you haven't, I guess this hasn't really explained much to you. All I can tell you is to watch it, it hurts, and you'll probably learn something about yourself that you hoped you would never have to think about.

Torchwood: The New World is set to air in a 10 episode arch in mid 2011. Maybe I'm being dramatic but I haven't decided if I'll watch it, most likely I will. My friends will watch it, and they'll sit me down and make me watch the first episode, just like before, and I'll enjoy it...painfully.